Consultant - STAR-C Capacity Building and Implementation, Pacific

1. Background The International Solar Alliance (ISA) supports Solar Technology Application Resource Centres (STAR-Cs) as institutional platforms for strengthening solar skills, technical services, knowledge exchange and local solar ecosystems in Member Countries. Pacific Island countries require locally grounded implementation support that reflects dispersed geographies, small markets, high travel and logistics costs, limited pools of specialised trainers and the need for close coordination among host institutions, governments and regional partners. ISA therefore intends to engage a Fiji-based professional to provide hands-on implementation and capacity-building support to Pacific STAR Centres. The assignment will focus on translating approved STAR-C work plans into timely activities, strengthening delivery systems, supporting realistic budgeting using Pacific market rates, monitoring progress and maintaining regular coordination with ISA and participating host institutions. 2. Objective of the Assignment The objective is to provide regional implementation, coordination and capacity-building support for Pacific STAR Centres, with Fiji as the duty station and travel to other participating Pacific countries as required. The specialist will help prepare, update and implement annual work plans aligned with the four STAR-C functional areas, support effective use of ISA-supported funds, and ensure timely reporting of activities, outputs, risks and follow-up actions. 3. Scope of Work and Key Responsibilities ## 3.1 Work-plan preparation and implementation ·Lead the preparation, review and periodic updating of country-specific and regional STAR-C work plans in consultation with ISA, host institutions and relevant national stakeholders. ·Convert approved work plans into practical activity schedules, responsibilities, milestones, budgets, procurement requirements and monitoring indicators. ·Support implementation of agreed activities and proactively identify delays, dependencies, resource gaps and corrective actions. ·Ensure that work plans are aligned with the four STAR-C functions: capacity building; testing and quality improvement; innovation and incubation; and knowledge management. ·Maintain a consolidated implementation tracker for Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati and any other Pacific STAR-C assigned by ISA. ## 3.2 Capacity-building delivery ·Assess training and institutional capacity needs of STAR-C host institutions and priority stakeholder groups. ·Prepare annual and activity-level capacity-building plans covering target groups, learning objectives, delivery mode, trainers, materials, logistics, budget and expected outputs. ·Support the identification and engagement of suitable trainers, subject-matter experts and partner institutions using transparent processes and rates that are reasonable for Pacific markets. ·Coordinate online, in-person and practical training programmes for technicians, government officials, financial institutions, academic institutions, journalists and other relevant stakeholders, as agreed in approved work plans. ·Support the preparation or adaptation of training content, participant materials, feedback tools, attendance records and post-training follow-up actions. ·Promote Training of Trainers approaches and local trainer development to strengthen long-term delivery capacity within Pacific STAR Centres. ## 3.3 Budgeting and ISA-supported fund implementation ·Prepare activity budgets and cost estimates based on documented local and regional market rates, including trainer fees, travel, accommodation, venues, logistics, materials and related implementation costs. ·Support host institutions in preparing fund-utilisation plans linked to approved activities, milestones and deliverables. ·Monitor expenditure progress against approved budgets and flag variances, underspending, unsupported costs or emerging funding requirements to ISA. ·Compile supporting implementation and expenditure information required for programme review, while respecting ISA and host-institution financial and procurement procedures. ·Support value-for-money assessment and practical cost optimisation without reducing the quality or accessibility of capacity-building activities. ## 3.4 Monitoring, reporting and documentation ·Prepare concise monthly progress reports covering activities completed, outputs achieved, participant data, budget status, implementation issues, risks, decisions required and next-month priorities. ·Maintain evidence of delivery, including approved agendas, attendance sheets, photographs where consent is available, training materials, feedback summaries and completion records. ·Track agreed indicators and targets under each STAR-C function and maintain country-wise action and risk logs. ·Prepare mission notes, activity completion reports, quarterly summaries and other brief programme updates requested by ISA. ·Document good practices, lessons learned, reusable training resources and regional opportunities for knowledge exchange. ## 3.5 Regional coordination and travel support ·Serve as the day-to-day coordination interface among ISA, STAR-C host institutions, national focal points, trainers, technical partners and relevant government agencies. ·Undertake official missions from Fiji to Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati and other assigned Pacific locations for planning, training, monitoring and stakeholder engagement. ·Prepare mission plans, stakeholder schedules, briefing notes and follow-up matrices for regional visits. ·Provide coordination support to ISA on an as-needed basis for Pacific capacity-building activities, consultations, events, technical missions and programme reviews. ·Facilitate regional peer learning and sharing of trainers, materials, tools and practical experience across Pacific STAR Centres. ## 3.6 Support across the four STAR-C functions STAR-C Function | Indicative Support Capacity building | Training-needs assessment, course planning, trainer mobilisation, participant coordination, delivery support and outcome tracking. Testing and quality improvement | Capacity-building support on standards, quality assurance, testing awareness, safe installation practices and linkages with competent technical institutions. Innovation and incubation | Workshops, mentoring linkages and institutional support for locally relevant solar solutions, enterprises and applied innovation. Knowledge management | Collection and organisation of country information, training resources, implementation lessons, case studies and regional knowledge products. 4. Key Deliverables Deliverable | Minimum Content Inception note | Understanding of the assignment, stakeholder map, initial work schedule and immediate priorities. Updated country and regional work plans | Activity schedules, outputs, responsibilities, budgets, milestones, indicators and risk assumptions aligned with the four STAR-C functions. Pacific market-rate costing note | Documented indicative rates and cost assumptions for trainers, travel, accommodation, venues, logistics and other major capacity-building inputs. Monthly progress report | Country-wise implementation progress, activities delivered, outputs, participant information, expenditure status, risks, pending decisions and next steps. Capacity-building packages | Approved agenda, learning objectives, trainer details, participant list, materials, feedback summary and completion evidence for each supported activity. Mission reports and action trackers | Purpose, consultations, observations, agreed actions, owners, timelines and follow-up status for official travel. Periodic programme review inputs | Consolidated results, challenges, expenditure observations, lessons learned and recommendations for ISA and host institutions. Final assignment report | Summary of support provided, results achieved, outstanding actions, lessons and recommendations for continued regional implementation.